Form for the construction of plaster and concrete structures.



l CONCRETE STRUCTURES.. APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.' A- H/gj PA'I'BNTED JULY 24, 1906.

FORM FCR THE CONSTRUCTION 0F PLASTER AND CONCRETE STROCTUR G. H. PEGRAM-APPLICATION FILED MARJI, 1905.

2 51mBTs-sEBBT z.

-ting of the concrete or UNITED sTA'TEs PATENT onirica.

GEORGE 'H. PEGRAM, OF yNEW YORK, N. Y. FORNI FOR THE CONSTRUCTIONOFPLAST-ER AND CONCRETE STRUCTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ju1ye4,1eoe.

To (LZZ whom it may con/cern..- -l

Be it known that I, GEORGE I-I. PEGRAM, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented an Improvement in Forms for the Constructionof Flaster 'and Concrete Structures, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention has reference to forms for the construction of plaster andconcete structures; and it consists of certain im rovements, which arefully set out in the fol owing specification and shown in the drawingswhich form a part thereof. The retaining surfaces or forms for theconstruction of concrete and plaster structures which confine thematerial in its plastic state until it has hardened or set are commonlycalled forms 1 In the present practice these forms are made of wood,which retain the plastic material by the transverse strength andstiffness of the boards, and in such case the thickness of the boardsand frequency of vthe supports must be so formed and roportioned thatthey will insure a practica ly uniform surface by their strength andstiffness. It has further been diflicult to produce a smooth finish tothe surface, because the surplus water of the concrete or plasticmixture escapes through the cracks, -`intensifying the lines of divisionbetween the b0ards,rwhich show in any case, and' thiswater when notpermitted to escapefowing tp the non-permeability ofthe boards, collectsduring the setplaster and often leaves worm-marks and its in thesurfaces. To give conguration o surface similar to the Joints ofmasonry, for instance, wooden forms are so costly that they are seldom,if ever, used. In some places wooden forms are unduly costly through thehigh price of lumber or cost of trans ortation and thev small -value ofthe lum er after .being so used. y

The object of my invention is to overcome the above objections andproduce agreatlyimproved concrete or plaster structure.

My invention consists of forms -in which the retaining material is a)liable and prefere ably permeable fabric, lilie cotton cloth, adaptedto retain the plastic material and permit bulging between supportingstrips or grillages superimposed to support the fabric and with which itis combined, the strength of which fabric is exerted in tension ratherside strips and usuallyl than cross-bending, as in wooden boards. By myimproved means any desired configuration of surface is obtained,depending upon the openings between the retainingstrips or grillages.The strips or grillages may be held in place by flexible ties of wire orstring, which I usually sew through the fabric to and around similaropposing strips facing upon what will be opposing surfaces of theconcrete structure when formed. In the reinforcement of an old wall orwhere the opposite surface is made by a Vwooden or other fixedforming-surface the ties for holding the pliable fabric and stri s. orgrllages are attached to it in any wel -known manner.

More specifically my invention may be described as follows:v In making awall or partition I commonly employ a metal core of wire-cloth of aboutNo. l0 wire, with mesh about a foot square, which is held in place byangle-irons or wooden studs. The angle-iron studs are com osed of twoangle-irons, one on each side o the core and bolted together under thehorizontal wires of the core for its better support. VThe angle-ironsserve to determine the uniformthickness of the wall as Well as to stienit. Where, however, the angle-irons are crooked or too light or too farapart, 'I may employ removable spacingstri s to secure the desireduniformity of thic ness, said strips being withdrawn before the plasticmaterial or concrete sets and these laces filled with the plaster orcement. The p iable fabric is stretched on the outside of the studs, andstrips of wood about an inch square are laid against it at distances ofabout a foot apart. These are secured in place by wire or twine, whichis sewed through the fabric, passing around the out supported verticallyby the wires of the metal core. The water of the plaster or. concretemixture oozes through the pliable fabric, thustakmg the particles ofcement to the surfaeelwhere they are retained by the fabric as the Waterescapes, resulting in a 'line smooth surface. After the concrete hashardened and sufficiently set the ties of string or wire are cut and thestrips and fabric removed and kused again in forming other ortions ofthe wall. The metallic core may e dispensed with, if desired., as mayalso the spacing-strips; butI prefer to use either or both of them inthe practical application of my invention.

IOO

tion on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

My invention alsocomprehends details of construction which, togetherwith the features above specified, will be better-understood byreference to tne drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a front elevation ofsuch apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sec- Fig. 4 is a front elevation of anotherform, shovging the` retaining-strips horizontal on one side and verticalon the other. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5`of Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing the method of producing any desiredsurface conformation by the use of a grillage, and Fig.' 7 is a verticalsection on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 and shows one way in `whichthepatterned grillage can be retained in position.

A represents the internal strengthening metallic core, which may be astout wire mesh (of wire, say, one-eighth-inch diameter and havingmeshes a foot square) or a frame of expanded metal or any-suitablematerial.

B is the pliable material, preferably permeable to liquids, which may beeither cotton cloth, canvas, or other suitable woven material, whetherof metal or combined metal and fiber or 'fiber alone. To keep thepliable fabric at proper distance from the internal mesh and angle-ironsof the core when desired, there are inserted at suitable intervalsremovable spacing-strips C;

D represents removably-attached strips for retaining the pliablematerial in proper relation to the core A and for producing the surfaceconfiguration desired. These retaining-strips can evidently be retainedin position by any well-known means-as, for instance, strings or wiresE, sewed through the pliablel material and passing around theoppositely-located retaining-strips D. (See Figs. 3 and '4.) Any othersuitable means, such' as bolts, for holding the retaining-strips l) orgrillages may be employed in lieu of the strings or wire. The partsbeing thus spaced and retained, I pour into the space between thepliable external limiting-walls the plastic material desired, which maybe mortar, eement mncrete, plaster-of-paris, &c'. This iills the spacewithin the pliable walls and causes the pliable material to take on thedesired configuration. then preferably removed and the holes left by thesparing-strips illed with the plastif-y material, and in this conditionthe material and strilelureare lel'l until the said plasii-f' nia liional spaeing-sirips C may be omitted, as

lerialI has set and hardened. 'lhe strings or wires lC (or theequivalentfastening den vives) can then. be cui Yand removed, and the pliable.material stripped oil' and used over again in further construction.

For holding the internal core in position l have employed angle-irons(`r and [ind the boli s l-l` a convenient and satisfactory method ol'supporting the horizontal wires of the .n-

'lhe spacing-strips C arey 'ternal mesh A and holding the angle-ironstogether. However, the core may be dispensed with,if so desired, and thesupportingstrips D may' be sustained and positioned in any suitablemanner so long as they support the pliable fabric.

or ridges formed by the bulging of the pliable partition-wallshorizontal on one side of the structure and vertical on the other, inwhich case the strips retaining the pliable fabric are correspondinglyarranged, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. By using a grillage J for retainingthe pliable walls I am enabled to imitate any configuration l desire,the pliable material bulging out into the open spaces of the grillageand producing the desired effectmasonry blocks, for example, as shown inFig. 6. The grillage can be sewed throughthe pliable material or boltedor buttoned, like the retaining-strips, or it can be supported byremovable props K, as shown in Fig. 7. The fabric in many cases may beused over and over again, or, because of its cheapness, it can be leftin plaee on the concrete.

The method of operation with my invention is as follows: The apparatus,provided with walls of pliable material permeable to liquids,beingprepared in any of the manners above described or in any equivalentmanner, the cement or mortar mixed with water to the proper consistencyis introduced in the spaces left between the fabric surfaces. Thepliable walls B bulge out or assume thedesired shapes dictated by themanner in which they are s'upported by the said retainingstrips D andwires or cords. The surplus'liquid 'drains olf through the permeablewalls and carries the finer material to the surfaces, thus giving a iinehard finish to the wall and accelerating' and drying of the structure.After setting and drying, the grillage or retaining strips and cloth areremoved, leaving a solid wall Without joints or seams on its faces. Thespacing-stri ps maybe leit in place or be withdrawn before the materialhas set orA after one section of. wall is set partly, so as to beself-sustaining, the spacing-strips may be removed, and the next sectionjoine to the iirst directly. 1

The core of wire mesh may be dispensed pliable walls are employed, suchas grillages. Where angle-irons or similar upright supports extendingfrom one side of the struc- 'ure to the other are employed,` theaddisaid angle-irons perform the spacing funetion themselves.

lt is obvious that in cases where one side of the. wall is conlined byboarding or an old wall of which the new wall is to form a face orreinforeeinent the ties may be attached thereto in any well-knrnvnmanner and but one wall of flexible material employed.

with where other means of supporting theA It is at times desirable tohave the waves IOO IIO

ISC

I vmaterial consisting of the combination of two my invention, what'Iclaim isremovable when the plastic materia a continuous space betweenthem, and means v able retaining parts Having 'therefore described andillustrated 1. In a form for constructing Walls of plastic material, thecombination of two walls of pliable material permeable to liquidsarranged to provide a continuous s ace between them, and means forretaining t e walls in position during the introduction and setting ofthe plastic material consisting of frames upon the outer surfaces of thepliable material for supporting it at intervals only and removablespacing-strips C C between the walls of the. pliable material forsupporting them upon their inner surfaces said spacing-strips being\ciently set whereby the spaces left [therebyy maly be filled withadditional plasticv ria 2. In a form for constructing walls oflasticmaterial, the combination of two wa ls of pliable materialpermeable to liquids forming consisting of bindin strands extendingthrough and between t e flexible walls at numerous intervals in theirarea for retaining the sainein position duringlthe introduction andsetting of the plastic material.

3. Means for constructing walls ofplastic walls of pliable materialpermeable to liquids separated throughout their entire length, re.-taining-strip's exterior to the walls for retaining the walls actingupon said walls at intervals only in position during 'the introductionand setting of the plastic material, and means for temporarily holdingthe retaining-strips in position. l

4. In a form for constructing walls ofl lasti'c material, thecombination of a wall o pliable material permeable to liquids, and meansfor' retaining same in position during tlieintroduction and setting ofthe plastic material comprising one or more sets of grillage forming asubstantially flat structure arranged exteriorly of said wall andtemporarily supporting it at intervals in its surface.

5. Meansfor constructing partitions or walls of plastic material,consisting of a fiat sheet of pliable material, combined with nonpliableretaining parts resting against portions only of the pliable materialand the areas between the retaining parts in contact with the pliablematerial being materially less than the area of the corres ondingpliable material so as to permit the ree portions of the said pliablematerial toA bulge between the retaining partst 6. Means for` constwalls of lastic material, of pliab e material,

sting partitions or consisting of a sheet combined with non-plirestingagainst portions area less than the actual pliable material so as topermit portions thereof-"to bulge between the VlLining parts, and meanspassing through only and covering an surface of the other the pliablematerial and space occupied 'by the plasticmaterial for holding theretaining partsl in place against the outer face of the pliablematerial.

7. A forni for constructing partitions or walls of plastic material,consisting of a pliable -sheet permeable to uids, combined withretaining parts for firmly holding the pliable material against outwardpressure at;

intervals in its surface and in which the remaining portion of thepliablematerial 1s bulged between the retaining .parts to formprojecting or bulging portions in the wall and allow the surplus watertoescape.

l 8. A'form for constructing partitions or .Wallsof lastic material,consisting of athin partsfor holding them firmly. in position' upon thepliable sheet. and. against the outward thrust of the'plas'tic material.

9. A form for 'constructing rectilinear p artitions or walls of plasticmaterial consisting against outward ressure atinr of a sheet of pliablematerial permeable tofiuids, combined with substantially parallel yretaining-stri s forming a grille structure with vertical and iorizontalbars for supporting the pliable material at intervals in its surface andin substantially one plane; and means extending into the space to beoccupied by the plastic material for connecting the retaining-strips tothe pliable material and ,holding them in osition.

10. A orm for constructing partitions or walls of plastic materialsconsisting of two opposed sheets of pliable material forming .a spacebetween them open throughout their length combined with retaining-stripsresting against their outer surfaces at intervals only, and flexibleties passing through the two sheets of pliable material and aroundretaining-strips at numerous of the pliable material.

11. A form for constructing walls or partitions of plastic materialsconsisting of the roc IIC

points'of thelsurfac'es i combination of two walls of liable material,

arranged to provide a continuousmspace between them, a frame actingnp'onone olf the walls at intervals in its ureaJ to hold it in positiun. anda sec-ond frame comprising a senos nl vertical and :i .si-ries nfhorlzontul bars coniwi-ted tugether und in substantially the Saune Iplum-1 for suppnrting the other pliable wall at rtmzingz interval:J inits aren.

lli. ln u form for constructing Walls nl' plastic material` thecombination of two walls nl' pliable nniterial permeable tu liquids undarranged to pruviile it inntinlmus space be-4 tween them, it frametit-ting upon one of the mill. :it intervals in its uren tn hold it inposi-- tion, ai sumntl l'raine mmpridng :i series ol vertical und useries nl lmriznntnl bars con-. nt-cted together und in substantiallythi` I stime plano for supporting the other pliable mill at ('rnseingintervalle in its area, and means consisting ol binding iiexible strandsbetween the twu frames pliablt Walls and the space between them forholding the frames and pliable material in relatively fixed position.during the introductin and-setting of the plastic material.

In testimony nl' which invention 1` have hereunto set ny hand.

y GEORGE H. PEGRNL Witnesses:

WM. F. LOCKWOOD. Q. D. HOLMAN.

